Errands
by Caranath
Summary: Joe runs to the bank. Hijinks ensue. a distinct LACK of whump and angst this time around
1. Chapter 1

**A/n: **_Dis ya miss me? This will be a far cry from There But for the Grace of God in terms of emotional upheaval and angsty bits and Joe is not beat up, tortured or otherwise mistreated. I am feeling magnanimous. It won't last, I am sure. The chapters will be pretty short I think . Partly because it's summer and who wants to spend all day slaving away at the laptop, partly because I have another stamping related project I am on a deadline for and partly because I sez so. so nyah. It is NOT necessary to read TTBFTGOG first although the epilogue may give you a sneak preview. But read it anyway. especially if you like angsty bits. and Joe whumpage. and because I am giving you the Puss in Boots eyes...*insert optional awwwwww here*_

**Errands**

Joe Hardy, tall, blond and quite a looker if he did say so himself, stepped out into the early afternoon sunshine and paused to take a deep breath of perfect summer air. Not too humid for once, the faint breeze was coming from Barmet Bay and held just a hint of salty sea air. He grinned as he stretched his muscular arms over his head briefly before heading to his car. The grin only got wider as he beheld his new toy, purchased only 2 weeks ago. The little 2 door coupe was exactly the same shade as his brilliant blue eyes, or so his mother declared the day he brought it over to show off. Fenton Hardy, semi retired Private Investigator and patriarch of the family, had merely raised an eyebrow and asked if he could afford the insurance premiums.

His elder brother Frank, of course, had taken his share of the substantial reward their latest joint venture with the Federal government, this time the DEA, netted them and invested it in new computer software gadgetry. Sometimes Joe despaired of his brother. He took his responsibilities as Senior investigator far too seriously as far as he was concerned. Many nights, Joe would be returning from a casual date to his apartment located above the Agency, only to find Frank still hunched over the books or typing away like a madman on his laptop. Multiple attempts to get him to double date like they used to in high school, or even just a mass get together of those high school pals still around invariably were rebuffed with one lame excuse after another. But when he complained to his mother, Laura only said that Frank was not like him and that he was perfectly happy as he was.

Truth be told, Joe mused as he buckled himself in and kicked the Mustang into gear, Joe was beginning to feel a little concerned. Frank's first, last and only major involvement had been with Callie Shaw and that relationship had ended, as most high school crushes do, at the onset of college almost ten years ago. As far as he could tell, Frank had not had even a casual relationship since. In contrast, Joe had been almost but not quite a player. He was truthful enough with himself to admit that after Iola and Vanessa, he tended to gravitate towards easy, shallow relationships, never really looking for anything meaningful. But at least he was getting out there. Not turning into an old fuddy duddy like _some _ people he could mention.

Joe spent the short drive to the bank plotting how best to get Frank out of his self imposed monk impression while simultaneously indulging himself just a little bit by weaving in and out of the sporadic traffic. Despite being on a first name basis with the current Chief of Bayport's Finest, Con Riley, Joe conscientiously obeyed all traffic laws, even that pesky speed one . He wanted to keep the new car as dent free as possible as long as possible. His own personal record was just shy of 7 weeks. Frank had bet him it would be 6 weeks before he damaged it in some way. Joe had rather haughtily proclaimed himself a much better driver and less of a trouble magnet than he had been in years past and swore it would be at least 8 weeks. And to that end the brothers wagered dinner at the restaurant of the winner's discretion, to be paid by the loser. Joe already had the steakhouse picked out and made reservations for the day _after_ the eight week mark.

The Bank loomed ahead, large and imposing. It took up an entire city block of Greater Downtown Bayport. It's granite facade was decorated with columns of imposing girth and guarded by 2 immense stone lions once named Leo and Larry by a 7 year old Joey Hardy. Joe parked in the lot set aside for bank patrons across the street and quickly made his way to the main entrance. Inside, the marble floors were polished so brightly he could see his reflection as he made his way over to the large reception area filled with comfortable chairs and a cheerful older woman behind a tall desk. He presented his credentials and asked to see the Manager about accessing a safety deposit box that their client had recently gotten, filling it with incriminating evidence against a fellow employee accused of selling corporate secrets. He also provided the POA the client had drawn up allowing Hardy Investigations access to the deposit box in question. Mrs. Richards, according the shiny brass name plate in front of her on the desk, excused herself with a smile and went into the back. Within a few moments she returned, the Bank Manger Mr. Trumbel in tow. He shook Joe's hand and invited him into the back half of the bank, where the private rooms for safety deposit box access were located.

Mr. Trumbel escorted Joe into a large room that contained a conference table and 2 chairs. He took the key that the client had provided, compared it to the records and verified the box number before leaving Joe behind with a promise to return in a few minutes with the box. Joe amused himself by pacing the room peering at each piece of artwork that adorned the walls. They were all pastel watercolors, mainly soothing seaside scenes of serene beaches and cottages. But that took about 4 minutes and still Mr Trumbel had not returned. Patiently, Joe paced the room again, but the novelty soon wore off. After another 5 minutes of waiting, he began to get a little exasperated. (_How long does it take to pull a safety deposit box anyway?_)

After another ten minutes, Joe's bladder( and patience) were at critical levels so he stepped out and into the hallway, figuring he would hit the Men's room then hunt down the elusive Mr. Trumbel. He remembered passing the restroom on his way to the conference room, so he turned back down the way he came and quickly stepped into the room. He breathed a sigh of relief as he stood in front of the urinal and allowed the pressure to alleviate. Once he finished, he stepped over to the sink and was half way through soaping up when he was tackled from behind.

**A/n: **_See, told ya. short chapters. Again this will be a much more light hearted adventure for the Hardys. well, one of 'em at least... Please feed the muse with salads and water as she gained many pounds on the cruise and is looking a little.. bloated...Or reviews. reviews are calorie free. _


	2. Chapter 2

**A/n: **_ooh two days in a row. Do you feel spoiled yet? _

**Chapter 2**

Joe staggered as he felt something slam into his knees. Instinctively he grabbed the edges of the sink in an effort to stay upright, but the soapy residue made his grip rather less than tight and he fell sideways against the wall next to him. As he twisted around to face his attacker he found himself staring into a pair of wide hazel eyes. A very _familiar_ pair of hazel eyes.

"Danny?" he exclaimed incredulously. Danny Frisk (Junior) was an almost 11 year old past kidnapping victim that Joe had met under less than ideal circumstances* a little over a year earlier. They had spent a rather uncomfortable few days trapped in a collapsed mine shaft awaiting rescue and become rather fond of each other. In fact, they had kept up their friendship afterward and Danny now played on the Youth League Baseball team Joe assistant coached under Biff Hooper.

Danny threw himself into the arms of the still bewildered blond, who held his dripping wet and still soapy hands out awkwardly away from the boy's body. The boy was trembling violently, almost as bad as he had done while trapped in the mine shaft. He was obviously struggling to maintain his composure and he was sniffling against Joe's shirt. Awkwardly, Joe tried to reach above his head and grab the paper towels, but half on the ground as he was, even he was too short to reach. With a shrug, Joe gave up the attempt and brought his arms closer in, enveloping the boy in a gentle hug. "Hey, Buddy, what's wrong? What are you doing here, huh? Where's your dad?"

Danny spoke, his voice muffled against Joe's chest so he couldn't be understood. Joe gently but firmly pulled Danny away from his chest and chucked a soapy finger under the boy's chin. Danny's eyes were full of unshed tears and he was definitely scared of something. (_It's a friggin' __bank__ for cryin' out loud. What's there to be scared of?_) "Danny, just spit it out, okay? Tell me what's happened."

Danny stood up and stepped back, which allowed Joe to finally rinse off and dry. As soon as that was done, he turned back around and crouched in front of the boy, wryly noting that soon enough he'd be able to look him in the eye without having to do so any more. Kid was growing like a weed.

"They..they've got _guns_" Danny whispered in a trembling voice. His eyes shifted toward the door of the restroom as if he half expected it to burst open any second.

"Who has guns, Pal?" Joe figured that Danny would not have had this reaction if he was referring to the security guards the bank employed, or even the men from the armored car company that transported excess cash and other valuables; therefore he assumed the worst, that there were armed and dangerous people inside the bank. Probably up to no good whatsoever.

Danny's voice got ever so slightly louder and less panicky as he relayed his experience earlier. "Me an' Dad were here so Dad could get some money before we went to the amusement park. His ATM card got ate up by the machine outside so we had to come inside. But the line was really long and I had to go pee so I left and came in here but when I came back out there were these guys with guns and they were waving 'em around and everybody was all scared and stuff so I just ran back in here an' hid!" the last few words came out in a gasp as they tumbled out.

"Danny, you did _exactly _the right thing." Joe assured the boy. "Will you be okay right here while I go take a look?" The panicked look that appeared in those hazel eyes told Joe more eloquently than any words that actually, no Danny would _NOT _ be okay. Joe sighed as he contemplated his next move.

He couldn't very well spend the rest of the day hiding out in the potty, that's for sure. He had to at least _try_ and see what was going on. He had his cell phone on him so if nothing else he could call the police and relay information. He was also painfully aware that he could not drag Danny around with him as he snuck into the other parts of the bank, if for no other reason that he was not about to risk the kid getting hurt if they were caught. Once again, Joe regretted being all mature and stuff. For about half a second. Joe's knees creaked as he stood up straight again but he studiously ignored the twinge of pain in his left one. Hopefully he would not be called upon to chase after anybody today. Last week's debacle on the basketball court still protested if he tried anything faster than brisk walk. Joe sighed again as he made his decision. (_ This is sooo the last time I volunteer to run errands._) "Okay Kiddo, follow close behind me and if I tell you to run, or hide, or anything, you _do it_ . _Capish?_" Danny only nodded, solemn. He knew from past experience that Joe would never let him get hurt. Even after a year, the hero worship thing had not waned. Joe still found this a little disconcerting and he had confessed to Frank during one of their joint sessions with Dr. Suitland months ago that he was sorry he placed so much pressure on his big brother with his own idolization when he was Danny's age.

Joe grabbed Danny's hand but steered him behind his own body as he cautiously edged the bathroom door open and stuck his head out. Seeing and hearing nothing, he stepped out into the hall, keeping a firm grip on Danny's hand as he did so. Slowly they crept down the corridor. About half way down, just past the room with the seaside watercolors, Joe heard voices coming their way, and they were not filling him with anything vaguely resembling calm. When he heard one harsh voice saying "Check out the offices and look for strays" Joe knew he had seconds to get out of sight. In a flash, he had twisted open the door knob of the room he had paused in front of in an effort to discern what was being said and shoved Danny in ahead of him before following close behind. He immediately twisted the small (and to his trained eye, ineffectual) lock, being grateful as hell the doors were solid as opposed to having a window and hoping against hope the thugs would not force the door when they started down the hallway. He reached into his shoulder holster, breathing a small prayer of thanks for remembering to wear it that morning. As he pulled out his weapon, he hissed in a low voice, "Danny, go tip the table over and get behind it." Joe knew the cheap particle board would offer almost no protection from anything bigger than a BB gun but beggars couldn't be choosers. He shifted so that he was on the side of the door that would be opening should the other guys with guns feel so inclined to give him a better angle of attack. When he didn't hear any scraping or other sounds of furniture being moved, he spoke a little louder and sharper "Danny! Do as I said!"

"What about the lady?"

Joe half turned so that he could see what the heck Danny was talking about while still keeping an eagle eye on the door. His jaw dropped as he realized that the room he had just barreled into was occupied. She was about his age, with skin so pale she looked like a porcelain doll. Her hair was jet black and styled in an elaborate braid that wound around her head before falling over one shoulder. But what caused his jaw to drop was the intense color of her eyes. They were a green so deep that an emerald paled in comparison. She stood there, staring at him, one arm raised and holding a safety deposit box like a truncheon. Under other circumstances, Joe would have laid on the charm thick and sweet, but he was a little distracted by the sounds of 2 men arguing with one another coming closer and closer to their hiding spot. With a sudden movement he swiftly came away from the door. He grabbed the edge of the flimsy table and flipped it on it's side, grabbing Danny by the shoulder and pushing him down behind it. Before the woman could react, he tore the safety deposit box out of her hand and none too gently shoved her down too, practically on top of Danny. "Stay down" he hissed to both of them as he crouched over her and steadied his gun arm against the lip of the table just as the door knob started wobbling.

**A/n: **_ Yes the car is still in one piece. For now...Bwahahahahahah_

*****See my other story 'Cave In' if you haven't already.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/n: **_In which our hero reverts to typical behavior..._

**Chapter Three**

Joe tightened his grip on the gun, holding it steady with both hands. The next 12 seconds were the longest of his life as the door knob jiggled, but ultimately the men on the other side either chose not to kick the door in, or just assumed the room behind it was empty. He let go of the breath he hadn't realized he was holding and his shoulders slumped in relief. "Thank gawd for small favors." he quipped as he stood up and offered his hand to the young woman who was giving him a look that was half wary and half indignant. "Sorry 'bout that. I didn't hurt you or anything, did I?"

She deigned to remain silent although she did accept the proffered hand. As she rose, she stumbled a little and fell against Joe's chest, which she braced against with her free hand. Even though he had about 6 inches on her, he found himself staring deep into those emerald green eyes, mesmerized by their sparkle and intensity. Joe found himself gulping and uncharacteristically at a loss for words. The uncomfortable silence was broken by Danny inserting himself between the two adults and demanding to know what to do next. "I want my Dad!"

At this pronouncement, the woman looked startled and said "I thought he was yours?" her voice was low and musical, slightly husky and dead sexy to Joe's ears. Again, he found himself gulping and speechless. (_Way to make a first impression, Hardy._)

"Uh, no. Danny and I are just old cave in buddies. Isn't that right, Pal?" Joe unwillingly tore his eyes away from her face and smiled fondly down at the boy. Danny nodded eagerly before repeating his question.

"What's next is I go outside and take a look around." Danny immediately proclaimed he wanted to come along to, but Joe shook his head and said. " No way, Pal. You're father would kill me if I dragged you along. And rightfully so. It's not safe out there. And the Police will want to know what they are up against."

The woman spoke again "So you're a cop then?"

Joe shook his head. "Nope. Just a PI with a penchant for getting into the weirdest trouble. Just ask Danny here all about our adventures in his Dad's mineshaft last year." at that, Danny grinned and would have started telling the story if Joe hadn't interrupted. He knelt down in front of Danny and spoke very seriously. "Danny, I want you to stay here. No matter what you hear outside you have to promise me you won't do anything stupid." He leaned in closer and whispered, but loud enough for the woman to hear him. "I want you to protect the lady, okay? Don't leave her alone for anything, promise!" as he said that last he glanced up with a pleading look in his eyes, hoping she wouldn't take offense. Her own eyes softened just a little as she realized what was going on. She gave an imperceptible nod. Danny meanwhile, took his new responsibility to heart and solemnly promised to defend his new friend.

Joe ruffled the boy's hair as he stood up and motioned with a tilt of his head for the woman to join him by the door. Speaking in a low tone of voice and waving the gun he said "I don't dare bring this out with me. I'm liable to get shot. Again. Getting shot hurts. I'd like to avoid that if at all possible. I don't suppose you know how to use one?" he inquired hopefully. She only shook her head no. Joe sighed and replied "Ah well, one could only hope. But at the same time, I don't want any of them" Joe jerked his head toward the door and outside hallway "bursting in here and finding you armed and potentially dangerous. You are going to have to hide it for me." as he was speaking he shrugged off his sport coat and also removed his shoulder holster before handing the gun and holster over.

"I'll lock it in the deposit box. There's room. But are you sure that this plan of yours is wise?"

Joe laughed. "I have NEVER been accused of doing things the smart way. Just ask my brother. But I really do need to find out what is going on out there. I have my cell phone with me so I can relay important information to whoever is on the scene outside. Anything I give them could be the key to resolving this without any hostages getting hurt or worse. Besides, Danny's father is out there and I owe the kid to try and help."

"But why not bring the gun?" she asked, honestly confused.

"Cuz if I get discovered I don't want them mistaking me for an off duty cop or some Rambo clone. They find a gun on me and I am toast. They'll either panic and shoot me cuz they are amateurs, or they are pros and will shoot me because I am a credible threat to their success. Neither scenario remotely excites me. But if they catch me I can honestly claim I was in the john and missed all the fun when they first came in and did their thing. I can play dumb. I am good at that.. or so Frank says..." this last was said almost in an undertone, but with a current of genuine fondness.

"Frank?"

"My older brother. Bit of a worry wart. But I am slowly training him. I'm Joe, by the way. Joe Hardy." He stuck out his hand which was clasped in her own warm one. Her grip was firm, but decidedly hesitant, as if she wasn't quite sure what to make of him.

"Halloran Jacobs."

"Interesting name. You'll have to explain it to me later. Over coffee." (_Seriously? I am about to go barreling into the lion's den and I am flirting? Down boy. Frank is the one that needs a date. Not you. Although those eyes.. damn..._)

She smiled, the first one since being invaded and shoved to the ground. "You get us all out of here in one piece, and I'll consider it. But only if Danny chaperones."

Joe chuckled. "Deal." His smile faded then and his eyes grew serious. "I want you to barricade the door after I leave. Don't open it for anybody but me, or the police. I'll try and get back as soon as I can but if I don't, you stay put no matter what you hear. Do you have a cell phone on you?" at her nod he asked for it and plugged in Frank's cell phone number into her address book. "That's my brother. He's a PI too. If Danny starts to panic, call him and explain everything. He'll be able to help. But otherwise, don't bug him. Like I said he's a worry wart. Last thing I need is him freaking out..again.. and causing a ruckus. He's liable to show up outside the bank and demand to be traded for all the hostages just to get inside and make sure I am in one piece. When God was handing out overprotective genes, Frank got in line three times."

"He must love you very much then"

"I wouldn't trade him or his smothering for anything else in the world. And if you tell him that, no coffee for you. I have a reputation to maintain." With a final wink and a gentle squeeze of her hand, Joe slipped out of the room and into the hallway. Halloran stood there, ear to the door listening until the footsteps faded away. Then she turned to Danny and asked him to help her shove the table against the door.

Once that was accomplished, she then secured Joe's gun and holster in her safety deposit box and as an extra precaution, hid the entire thing in the moss at the base of the Ficus tree in the corner. The she sat down across from Danny and said " So, Danny. Tell me about this mine shaft Joe was talking about."

Danny eagerly began his tale and despite herself, Halloran became more and more impressed and admiring of the tall blond stranger who had so recently entered her life in a most unconventional way. Suddenly, coffee didn't sound so bad after all...

**A/n:**_ proving once again that no one can resist Joe Hardy. not that any of us needed reminding of that..._


	4. Chapter 4

**A/n: **_just a teensy bit of excitement and adventure forthcoming..._

**Chapter Four**

Joe had paused just outside the door he had just left, ear pressed against it until he was satisfied that they had done as he had asked and barricaded themselves within. Then taking a deep breath he mentally girded his loins and cautiously made his way down the corridor towards the main area of the bank. He silently thanked the decorators for providing ample opportunities to hide by filling the open space with large couches, giant Ficus trees and the occasional huge Oriental vase. But not even all that could get him close enough to see what was going on. Each of his vantage points were limited, offering only a glimpse of the scene. The gunmen, of which he counted at least 5 so far, had herded everyone, customer and employee alike, into the main reception area. Unfortunately for most, they had arrived during the lunch hour, normally an extremely busy time. All ten teller windows had been open and by his quick head count there had to be at least 50 customers doing double duty as hostages. Joe sighed. This could turn into a blood bath if things went to hell. (_Who the hell actually physically robs banks any more anyway? Helluva lot faster and safer to just hack into the computer system and transfer funds._) As he made his way from hiding spot to hiding spot, he surreptitiously began taking pictures on his iPhone to send to the police. He knew the information could prove helpful. Luckily he had turned off all sound options when he first got the phone, preferring to rely solely on vibrate mode for alerts. When he had amassed about 10 pictures, he moved away and found a less vulnerable spot behind a couch far from the group of hostages and their captors and dialed 911.

"911, what is your emergency?"

"This is Joe Hardy and I am _inside_ Bayport Community Bank. Can you patch me through to the Officer on the scene?" he whispered.

"Certainly, Mr Hardy. Please wait a moment." the girl on the other end was crisp and efficient. In less than a minute she returned. "Mr Hardy, I am patching you through to Officer Herndon. Good Luck."

"Hardy, one of these days you are going to call me just to invite me to a Barbeque and I will keel over in a dead faint from the shock at the normality. Only you could run to the bank and walk into a full blown crisis." Greg Herndon's voice was grimly amused.

"Pah. You live for excitement. If it weren't for me, you'd be bored out of your skull." Joe spoke rapidly and quietly. "Sending some pics to your cell. No idea if that's all of the perps, though, couldn't get to the far side where the employee areas are." Joe pulled the phone away from his ear and rapidly transferred the pictures. "I will have you know I was on perfectly innocuous legitimate business. Had no idea anything was even wrong until I ran into an old friend in the john. He's barricaded in one of the private rooms with another customer over on the west side. His father is one of the hostages in the main group." He paused when he heard movement nearby, holding his breath. "Crap. I gotta move. Call ya back when I can." Before Herndon could reply he shut off the phone and skittered away from his spot, barely in time to avoid being discovered by one of the gunmen. Luckily he had appeared fairly casual about his sweep and looked more to be pacing due to boredom than any actual intent. Hopefully that meant they were not looking for anyone else. Joe slowly made his way around to a spot where he could clearly see Daniel Frisk, Senior amongst the hostages.

It took almost ten minutes of waiting before he caught Mr Frisk's eye. The elder Daniel was shocked, to say the least, and barely stopped himself from calling out and attracting unwanted attention. Joe put a finger to his lips and shook his head before miming a baseball swing and then putting thumb and forefinger together in the universal 'okay' signal. Frisk visibly sagged with relief as he interpreted the impromptu sign language. Joe grinned and put up his hands in a 'just hold tight' gesture. Frisk nodded, returning the grin for half a second before quickly shifting back into 'scared hostage' mode.

From his new vantage point he had a better view of who appeared to be the ringleader, who was ensconced behind Mrs. Richards' desk. Standing near him, a gun pointed at his chest, was Mr Trumbel. Mr. Trumbel looked mildly annoyed. Almost as if he was incredulous that he was in this position in the first place. Joe had to strain to hear the conversation between the two.

"Surely you don't think you can get away with this." Mr Trumbel's voice was steady.

"From where I am sitting, old man, I already have." The other man's voice positively dripped with sarcasm.

"Do you honestly think you will be allowed to walk out of here unmolested? As I am sure you are aware, the alarm was tripped almost immediately. I can assure you the entire building is surrounded."

"I have thought this through, Mr Trumbel. YOU will be escorting me and my companions out the emergency exit. And to make sure that no one tries to dissuade us, I will be choosing some guests to come along." From his vantage point Joe could only see the man's profile, but the smile was cold and hard. Joe really didn't like the implications here. It sounded as if the thieves were going to be using innocent people as human shields. One thing he absolutely could not abide was cowardice, and that was exactly what this was... hiding behind women and children.

He began to second guess his decision to leave the gun behind. He had a full clip, more than enough rounds to take out each man plus even a few extra in case he missed some. But he also knew that the first shot would be his only guaranteed one. Sure, he might take out the ringleader, but who knows how the rest would react. It really could end up being a blood bath then. No, he'd made the right decision, even if he would be unable to prevent someone from being hurt. He pulled out his cell and was about to dial Greg again when it buzzed in his hand. Great. Frank. (_He's prolly pissed I am late with lunch._) with a resigned sigh, Joe accepted the call but remained silent.

"_Joe? What on earth is keeping you? I'm dying over here! My stomach is doing an uncanny impersonation of Audrey 2"_

"I'm a little busy right now. Can't talk, gotta call 'em back." Joe really needed to let Herndon know what was going on.

"_What the hell does that mean? Call who?"_

Before Joe could answer, though, he fumbled and dropped the phone. It clattered on the marble floor and made a huge racket in the relative silence of the open space. Instantly, the man behind Mrs. Richards' desk leaped up, his gun pointed almost directly at Joe's head. Luckily his head was hidden behind a 6 foot tall oriental vase covered in goldfish. He swore, then froze as he heard the man bark out an order "What the hell was that? Mike, go check it out!"

Joe had about 2/3 of a second to decide what to do. He could stay put, almost certainly be found and probably shot. Or he could make a run for it and only maybe get shot. He was about to make a break for it when a shot rang out.. at the other end of the room. It was quickly followed by a woman's high pitched scream. Then all hell broke loose. Joe took full advantage and made a beeline for a safer vantage point without wasting any time trying to find out any thing about the lone gun shot, which thankfully was not followed by any others. All he cared about at the moment was the fact that the distraction allowed him to get away unnoticed. As he scrambled to his feet he snatched his phone off the floor and disconnected on the run. He'd wait until he was a little more secluded before calling Herndon again.

Joe ran back down the hallway and slipped into the men's room again to catch his breath. After a moment he called Greg again. "Miss me?" he quipped.

"TELL ME that wasn't you who got shot."

"It wasn't me who got shot." he dutifully replied.

"Hmpf. Will wonders never cease. Talk to me." Herndon reminded Joe a lot of Con Riley in their younger days and he genuinely liked the police officer. Quickly, Joe relayed the meager information he gathered regarding the thieves' plans.

"Problem is I have no clue where the emergency exits are or which one they plan on using. Nor do I know how many hostages they plan to use as collateral."

"It's a start. We'll take it from here. I don't suppose I can talk you into hunkering down somewhere nice and safe and out of the line of fire? " Greg's voice held a resigned tone as he already knew the answer but had to ask anyway.

"Dumbest question of the day, Greg. Just give me time to get back to where I left my gun and re arm myself. I can at least provide you with cover fire." There was no way Joe was going to let the cops have all the fun.

"I should say no. But I also know you'd ignore me anyway. We're moving in 20. Be ready. And dammit, be careful."

"Will do. Hey, do me a favor. When Frank shows up, tell him to chillax and that I have everything under control."

"And what makes you think he'll show up?"

"Cuz I just hung up on him. And the last thing he heard..was the gunshot. You know how he gets." Joe chuckled.

Resigned sigh. "Yeah I do. Thanks ever so much for letting me be the one to stop him from charging in there. You two, I swear. Makes me glad I am an only child." Greg returned a chuckle of his own before signing off.

Joe wasted no time hurrying back to the room where he had left Danny in the care of those gorgeous green eyes. He knocked quietly and whispered "Danny? Miz Jacobs? It's Joe."

He heard the scraping sounds of furniture being moved but when the door didn't open, he knocked again. From the other side came a voice. "And how do I know you are alone or not under duress?"

"Umm..I..err.." Joe was at a loss. He heard a whispered conversation behind the door and really hoped she'd make a decision one way or the other soon. "Hey, uhh I really need my gun back. The Cavalry is coming and they need backup."

"What did you give Danny when you found out you were about to be rescued?"

"Say wha?" he sputtered. This was not something he expected. Then it hit him.. it was a way to determine whether or not it was safe. If he gave the correct answer, she'd open the door. If not, she'd leave him out there to rot. (_Oh she's goooood. Screw coffee. Dinner. I'll even wear a tie._) "An apple the size of my fist." He was rewarded by the click of the lock as the door swung open. "Thanks" he breathed a sigh of relief as he slipped in and relocked the door.

"Was that a gunshot I heard a few minutes ago?" she asked worriedly.

"Yeah. I wasn't in a position to see anything useful though. But it did save my bacon. I was about to be caught red handed. The police are making their move in about 12 minutes. Where's my piece?"

Danny ran to the Ficus tree and pulled out the safety deposit box and handed it to him. Halloran produced the key and he unlocked it and pulled out his gun and holster. While he was putting them back into their proper places, he asked. "So what gave you the idea to ask the question? And for that matter what made you think I'd get the intent and answer the smart way?"

"Danny said that you and your brother used that trick once before on a case you told him about. "

"Huh. Never thought he was paying attention to my babbling." Joe smiled fondly on the boy who was looking a little tired. "How's he doing?"

"Worried about his father. And you." Upon hearing that, Joe wandered over to the boy and squatted down in front of him.

"Howzit going, buddy?" He asked, ruffling Danny's dark hair.

"Did you see my dad?" he asked eagerly.

"Yup. He's fine. And I promise, this'll be over soon. But can you be patient a little while longer? I am going to go back out there and help the police. " Danny nodded even as he bit his lower lip in consternation. Joe gave a final muss of Danny's head and stood up.

"Will you be okay if I leave again?" He asked the other adult in the room. She nodded, but placed her hand on his arm as he turned to leave.

"Just..be careful, okay?" she said quietly. Joe marveled at her composure.

"Trust me, I have absolutely zero desire to spend any more time in the hospital. The food sucks." he smiled at her as he placed his hand over hers, which was still grasping his arm. "Once More Into the Breach , Dear Friends" he said in an undertone as he exited the door.

As Halloran replaced the table in front of the door again, she couldn't help but muse over Joe Hardy.

(_Good looking, brave and quotes Shakespeare. I am thinking coffee and dessert. And no chaperone necessary..._)

**A/n: **_Wouldn't be an official Hardy story if Big Brother didn't make an appearance. Think Greg Herndon can keep Frank from storming the castle? stay tuned to find out! _


	5. Chapter 5

**A/n: **_extra super duper short chapter here. Not much for Frank to do. except fret. he's good at that. _

**Chapter Five**

"Dammit Little Brother what the hell have you gotten yourself into this time?" Frank raged as he vainly tried again and again to get through to Joe. After the fifth attempt went straight to voicemail, he grabbed his holster and struggled to put it on as he ran to his car. Along the way to the bank, he heard over the radio about the ongoing hostage situation and his heart skipped a couple of beats. He couldn't help but worry that that gun shot he had heard had struck Joe. He knew it was stupid to assume the worst but it would entirely in character if Joe had been hurt. (_So help me I will __**kill**__ him if he so much as has a paper cut._)

Of course, the streets surrounding the bank had been blocked off, so Frank had to park a few blocks he tried to get past thebarricades, however, he was stopped by a uniformed officer. "My brother is inside! You have to let me through" Frank cried as he tried flashing his credentials to the man, who was singularly unimpressed. Continued pleading got him nowhere, and the Officer was just about to have Frank forcibly removed when a voice rang out.

"Let him through, Masters. It's alright." Frank turned grateful eyes on Greg Herndon who had walked up when he noticed the scuffle. "He's _fine_. He's been keeping us apprised of what has been going on." Herndon tried not to grin at Frank's obvious relief. "But don't even **think** about asking to be a part of the raid. Will. Not. Happen. Understand?" Greg Herndon genuinely liked both men but even he had his limits when it came to the job and putting civilians into the line of fire. He had heard too many stories from Con Riley over beer at the bar. "You can stay put like every other worried family member. Be thankful I am letting you on this side of the tape. And only because Joe asked me to keep you out of trouble."

"Keep _me_ out of trouble?" Frank sputtered indignantly.

"Yes, you." Greg grinned. "Face, it, Frank, you are almost as big a trouble magnet as he is. Of course he's the reason for it, but still..." the grin faded. "In all seriousness, we have it under control and it would take too long to bring you up to speed as we are making our move in like 3 minutes. For once, let us earn our salaries and do our job. Contrary to both of yours' personal opinions, the Bayport Police Department is actually quite competent and we do not need the Great and Wonderful Hardy Brothers to back us up every time." Herndon placed a firm hand on Frank's shoulder and smiled softly. "I promise that I will not put Joe into any more danger than he already is and I swear that I won't let him do something incredibly brave and stupid. If I have to I will cuff him to something. Deal?"

Frank's shoulders slumped as he accepted the truth of the situation. It was still so very hard for him to sit on the sidelines and he occasionally needed reminding that Joe could take care of himself and usually did so without being damaged in some way. He nodded resignedly and promised to stay put.

Herndon squeezed Frank's shoulder in tacit sympathy before inviting him to wait in the Mobile Command Unit where he could hear everything that was going on. Frank gratefully accepted. The only thing worse than not being in the thick of it was not knowing what was happening. As he climbed into the back of the huge van, he was handed a set of headphones by one of the technicians already similarly hooked up. "You can listen in, but I have disabled voice. Can't have you distracting the team by talking, even inadvertently. " Frank was stung by the criticism, but understood the reason behind the comments. He had to admit the man had a point. When it came to Joe, he conceded he was just a tad overzealous at times. He was working on it and even Joe acknowledged he was much less of a Mother Hen about it, but sometimes he couldn't help himself. He settled in and listened intently as the final instructions were being relayed. Herndon finished with a "Good Luck, Men" before giving the go ahead order to move in.

**A/n: **_Told ya. but I promise next chapter will make up for it. I just have a crap load of stuff to do today/all weekend and couldn't make you wait until next week when this was simply supposed to be a break in the action anyway. and a bone for all you Frank shippers out there. _


	6. Chapter 6

**A/n: **_ less short chapter here. almost wrapped up!__  
_

**Chapter Six**

Joe had wasted no time making his way back to where the action was about to be. He knew he had to be in position before the Police officers made their move, as he fully expected at least some of the gunmen to make a break for it in the opposite direction of the firefight. If he could prevent them from getting away, or hurting any innocents in the attempt, he'd be a happy camper. If he could avoid being shot or otherwise grievously injured in the process, he'd be a _very _ happy camper. And if Halloran Jacobs of the Amazing Green Eyes agreed to a date when this was all over, well.. Joe grinned as he thought of her and her raven black hair. As he surreptitiously made his way towards the main section of the bank, he realized that the gunmen had shifted the hostages away from where they had been and moved them towards the middle of the room. This actually made it a little easier for him to get into position as he could now use the hostages as a screen, especially since many of them were now standing or milling around in loose groups.

He soon spotted Danny's father, nervously pacing along the edge of one group. As Joe watched, Mr Frisk ever so nonchalantly eased away and out of sight of the nearest gunman. Joe hissed a quiet "Psst, over here!" and within seconds, Mr Frisk was gripping Joe's hand in a firm grip while furiously whispering anxious questions about his son. "I haven't let him out of my sight in a year. I finally feel safe letting him go off on his own and look what happens!"

Much as he wanted to, Joe could not spend more than a second or two reassuring the distraught father. "Mr. Frisk, he's safe. Far safer than he would have been out here with the rest of you. The cops are making their move any second. Can you get as many hostages as you can under cover? It may get dicey in here." Joe was moving away but stopped abruptly. " Oh, can you tell me what happened earlier when the gun went off? Was any of the hostages hurt?"

Frisk snorted. "Would you believe two of the punks got into it about one of the women? One wanted to rape her right then and there and another said to wait that they'd take her out with them as a shield then they could all have a go." Frisk's voice was full of barely repressed fury. "They scuffled, a gun went off. One less scumbag. Good riddance." Joe had to repress his own burst of anger at the news. He repeated his instruction to get as many under cover as possible and set off toward the spot he had staked out for his own use during the impending raid. As he made his way over, his pocket vibrated . He pulled out his cell which had a short text from Herndon. _60 seconds_. Joe got ready.

The next minute both dragged and flew by. Despite having been a licensed gun owner for nearly 8 years, Joe could count on one hand the number of times he had to actually fire it somewhere other than the range. He didn't have time to admit to himself he was nervous as a sudden crash from a front window told him the cops were making their move. The tear gas canister exploded with a hiss not 3 feet from one of the gunmen, who promptly dropped his weapon amid a coughing fit. Joe became distracted by the sounds of hostages screaming in fright coupled with the shouts of the remaining gunmen as well as his own eyes watering. Luckily he was at the extreme edge of the gas cloud so was only minimally affected. He pulled his tee shirt up over his nose and mouth to minimize the irritation on his lungs. He took a second to fix the position of the closest gunman and his dropped weapon, took a deep breath and plunged into the cloud where he kicked the semi automatic rifle out of the reach of the still coughing furiously gunman. Satisfied this one at least would be no more trouble, Joe grabbed him roughly by the back collar and shoved him down onto the floor hard.

After a few minutes the captive gunman began to recover a bit and started struggling to get away from Joe. Joe grimly said "Nuh uh, Buster you are staying put" and emphasized that by digging a knee into the small of his back as he held his gun loosely but steadily as he kept an eye out for any more gunmen trying to avoid being caught. He kept motioning for the other hostages to get down and stay down as he knew that in the confusion a cop could very easily shoot first on instinct if they saw someone coming at them. It was also the reason why his gun was not being aimed at the moment. Well, that and the fact that he was not entirely convinced he wouldn't hit an innocent bystander himself in all the confusion. He had long since lost sight of Mr Frisk and he fervently hoped the man was smart enough to stay out of the line of fire and to just be patient until everything had been secured before finding his son. His head remained on a swivel though, constantly looking out for anything that could be important, or dangerous. He really did not want to have to face his elder brother if he got so much as a hangnail. It would seriously put a crimp in his plans for dinner if he was placed under house arrest or something 'for his own protection'.

"Stop squirming." he growled at the man underneath his knee. "Just sit tight til somebody with a nice pair of handcuffs comes." (_Memo to self: start carrying zip ties._) Almost as if it was planned that way, out of the fog there appeared two large men in riot gear and assault rifles. Both aimed their weapons at Joe's head who immediately dropped his puny little gun and raised both hands above his head. "Hardy!" he shouted, hoping that Greg Herndon had told everyone he was inside.

"ID" one of the men barked at him tersely. Joe hastily reached into his pocket and pulled out his PI credentials and tossed it lightly over. The man grabbed it in mid air and examined it quickly before tossing it back while gesturing that Joe should stand up and away from the now very still gunman.

"He's all yours." Joe said with a smile of relief. His knee had started twinging again. The dude had a very bony back.

One Officer quickly set about cuffing Joe's new friend while the other swept his gaze around. "You said there were five?" he asked, not quite looking at Joe but obviously directing the question directly at him.

"Yeah, so far as I could tell." Joe acknowledged. "But don't quote me."

"This character makes four." The officer growled.

"Supposedly that shot earlier involved a 'disagreement' between 2 of 'em and one went down. Never saw it myself, just what I was told by another hostage." Joe explained.

"You got him? " the one man asked his partner, nodding his head towards the now cuffed gunman. "We'll go look for stragglers." The other officer nodded and none too gently escorted the prisoner away. "Shall we?" as he looked Joe in the eye for the first time.

"Lay on, Macduff." Joe grinned, his gun now firmly back in his grip. "Let's try the far end of the room." he then suggested. Glancing at his watch he was somewhat surprised to note that it had only ben about 8 minutes since he got that text from Herndon. The two men quickly but efficiently made their way across the marble floors, stopping occasionally to direct confused (now former) hostages over to the waiting EMTs who would treat them for tear gas exposure if necessary. At least by now the cries of fear had abated and had been replaced with those of confusion. Which, in reality... didn't sound much different after all.

The first two prone figures they came upon turned out to be false alarms, per se. one was an older gentleman who had been toppled over in the panic and had been unable to right himself afterward. The Officer quickly radioed for assistance before assuring the man help was on the way and moving on. The second turned out to be a women who was physically unhurt but so terrified she was frozen in place. Again, a radio call was placed but neither men had the time to waste until someone arrived. Joe had to suppress his natural protective instincts, realizing that anyone could comfort her but only he and the other officer could neutralize any other bad guys that may be lurking about.

They finally struck pay dirt on the third body, and each knew before getting close enough that it was indeed just a body. The back of his head was half gone. "So much for honor among thieves" the officer muttered as he knelt to feel for the pulse he knew wasn't there. Joe repressed a shudder at the oozing grey matter and congealed blood. The officer once again spoke into the mic attached to his shoulder and announced their discovery. The staticky voice of Herndon came back over and let them know that all gunmen were now accounted for and that all parties could stand down from high alert.

But that did not mean the job was over. They still had to corral the bank employees and customers, get their statements and generally clean up. Joe figured that it would be several hours more and did not envy them the task at all. His immediate concerns were far less weighty. Taking his leave of the officer with a handshake and a promise to give his own statement ASAP, Joe made his way back through the thinning crowd and was soon knocking on the door behind which his young friend and his (hopefully) date were. "It's me. It's over. And before you ask, Danny was reading Harry Potter when I met him." He was rewarded with a click and the door opening wide. The relief on Halloran's face was palpable and Danny's ear to ear grin was infectious. " Hey, Pal. What say we go find your Dad?"

In answer, Danny took off running down the hall at full speed. "Slow down, Kiddo! Some of us are not as young as we used to be and can't keep up!" Joe laughed. He proffered his arm to Halloran. "My Lady, shall we go face the thundering hordes of reporters, police officers and worst of all, my brother?" he smiled at her.

"Is he really that bad?" she asked as she slung her purse over a shoulder and entwined her arm with his.

"You have no idea. In fairness, once in a while I actually deserve it. Just not as often as _he_ thinks I do." Joe's voice was tinged with a bit of laughter and fondness. "I guarantee he's out there chomping at the bit waiting to just read me the riot act. As if he would not have done the same if our situations were reversed."

"Kind of glad they weren't" Halloran spoke to herself, almost inaudibly. Joe heard her and his grin only got wider although he gave no other indication that her words had reached his ears. They strolled casually down the hall despite Danny's increasingly urgent demands that they get going already. "Ahh, the exuberance of youth" Joe chuckled as they increased their pace to catch up with the pre teen.

Within moments they were walking outside in tthe bright afternoon sun and being herded over to one side. Danny had slowed own, becoming hesitant as he faced the crazy scene before him. He sidled up next to Joe and took his other hand in a firm grip and wailed "I can't find my Dad!" Joe disengaged( reluctantly) from Halloran's arm and crouched down at eye level.

"We'll find him, Pal. No worries." Joe scooped the boy up into his arms and stood up, allowing Danny a much better vantage point. Sure enough, it was only a minute or two before he shrieked and pointed to the left. Joe obediently trotted over there, Halloran following close behind. Frisk met them half way nearly tripping over another stray customer in his haste to hold his son. Joe happily relinquished his hold on the dark haired youngster and spend a few moments accepting Frisk's thanks for once again taking care of his offspring. "Danny's my best shortstop. Besides, he found me!" Shaking hands one last time, Joe cupped Halloran's elbow and said almost grimly "Time to face the Dragon." He had spotted Greg Herndon over by the command vehicle and assumed Frank was nearby.

It took a moment of waiting before Herndon finished the low voice conversation he was having with another officer before he raised his head and saw Joe for the first time. "Hardy. Thanks for the assist. Don't ever do it again." the grin belied the words as did the hearty handshake.

"Dude. So not my intent. All I wanted was to pick up a measly few documents. That's it. It was _not_ my fault."

"Bull. Your middle name is trouble. It seeks you out and latches on like a lamprey."

"My middle name is _NOT_ trouble. It's Aaron. And just for that, no invite to Dad's house this weekend for his birthday." Joe sounded all mock offended and hurt.

Throughout the exchange, Halloran switched her gaze from man to man, somewhat shocked but at the same time amused at the witty repartee. She jumped about two feet in the air, though, as a shout cut through all the other background noise. "Joe!" A dark haired man who could only be Frank Hardy came barreling through the assembled crowd and raced towards them. He came upon them so fast she took a few steps back as he rushed closer.

"Oh boy. Here we go" Joe said in an undertone and with a wry look at Greg Herndon who threw up his hands.

"Nuh uh. Yer own yer own Pal. I kept him from charging in like a crazed bull; it's your turn now. Tell Laura I'll bring my famous potato salad on Saturday." and with that, Officer Herndon slipped away just as Frank got there.

"Hi, Big Brother!" Joe exclaimed cheekily even as he slid half behind Halloran's much shorter posture. "Having a nice afternoon? Yeah, uhh, sorry about lunch, I got a little distracted."

Frank Hardy was even taller than his brother, Halloran noticed. And instead of wavy blond hair and sky blue eyes, his hair was brown and straight with equally brown eyes. "You call this _distracted?_" he sputtered, incredulous.

Joe sighed. "Yes Frank. I was distracted by the armed gunmen holding some 50 odd people hostage. I was also distracted when Danny Frisk tackled me in the bathroom because he had been separated from his father. You know, minor things like that." He kept the tone light but left it very clear he wasn't going to be listening to any lectures.

Frank sputtered some more before noticing the slender young woman Joe had been unsuccessfully trying to hide behind. "I suppose you also got distracted by her as well?"

"Wouldn't you?" Joe grinned as he stepped around and slid an arm around her waist. "Halloran Jacobs, meet my older brother Frank. He's really a very nice person when he loosens up a little."

"Frank Hardy, this is Halloran, who was kind enough to let a very scared ten year old hide with her while I went off to assess the situation. She was also polite enough to _not_ deck me with the business end of a safety deposit box when I came charging in to her room when I was trying to not get caught by the bad guys. Now if you will excuse us, we have a coffee date." and without another word, he gently steered Halloran around his brother and led her away across the street to his Mustang, where he held the door for her before coming around and buckling himself in and driving off.

Frank Hardy stood there, mouth open, for a good three minutes before Greg Herndon walked over. "Everything okay, Frank?"

Frank just shook his head. "_Seriously?" _he grumped. "I spend the better part of an afternoon worrying about him and he gets a freaking _date?_" he turned to Greg. "Sometimes, Greg, Life is so not fair..."

Greg only threw his head back and laughed loud and long. "That's your brother!" he clapped a sympathetic hand on Frank's shoulder. "See ya Sunday at your parents. It's still a surprise party, right?"

Frank nodded distractedly as he watched his brother peel out of the parking lot. "Yeah. Grill gets turned on at noon."

Greg patted Frank's shoulder once again before returning to the business of post mission debriefs.

Frank was left to his own devices. He cursed as his stomach growled yet again as he realized that he never did get lunch...

**A/n: **_poor Frank. he's all unloved and stuff_


	7. Chapter 7

**A/n: **_Last Chapter folks! hope you all enjoyed this less angsty side of Joe and Frank. but never fear, it will be back again_

**Chapter Seven**

Coffee had turned into a joint statement at the police station when Greg Herndon had called Joe on his cell to pointedly remind the Hardy boy that he still had to tell his side of the story and the Chief of Police, you know, Con Reilley? Would be _ever _so grateful if Joe would grace them with his presence at the station sooner rather than later, mm kay? Halloran's contribution was also recorded, meager though it was and afterward Joe had sweet talked her into dinner at Tony Prito's restaurant. Mr Pizza was no longer just a pizza joint, it was an actual nice Italian style family restaurant in the evenings.

Dinner turned into more coffee and dessert at a little cafe near the bank as Joe needed to return Halloran to her own car. They had parted that evening with an exchange of numbers, Joe plugging his own cell number into her phone just as he had done with his brother's earlier that day. And before he had gone to bed that night, she had called. She _claimed_ it was to confirm that he wasn't just blowing her off by providing a fake number. Joe knew better.

It was now Sunday afternoon and in the three days since the bank, Joe and Halloran had managed to meet up five times. Frank had thrown his hands up in disgust when she showed up to the office on the second day with fresh bagels and a tub of cream cheese. He still found it profoundly unfair. Had he been the one inside the bank, Frank had no doubts he would have been stuck with some blue haired old grandmother with a walker. It was just how his karma went.

Actually, Frank mused as he finished his shower and got dressed for Fenton's surprise party, if he was hard pressed to admit anything, he would confess he was a little jealous of his younger brother and his ability to be so easy going and sociable. He also admitted, but only to himself, that he kind of sort of missed dating and hanging out and just having somebody to talk to that wasn't a suspect or a client. And he knew he was being silly by rebuffing Joe's repeated attempts to get him to have some fun. But now it would be even more awkward as of all their friends still in town, he was the only unattached one. Even Chet was seeing someone regularly now. (_Maybe I do need to take him up on his offer to have Halloran set me up with a friend of hers. Any friend of hers must be a decent human being..._)

Frank liked Halloran. She was quiet, seldom dominating the conversation, but she definitely paid attention and could easily deflect any snide remarks Joe made and more than once had gotten in a few very good zingers that actually shut him up for two tenths of a second. As far as he was concerned, that alone meant she was a keeper. She was good for Joe, he could tell. In just these last few days he had started acting a little..calmer. Halloran was soothing. But at the same time she didn't worship the ground Joe walked on either. She reminded him just a teensy bit of their Aunt Gertrude. Aunt Gertrude was always able to not only see through Joe's antics, she seldom let him get away with too many of them.

Today would be the first day Laura and Fenton met her too, as Joe had asked her to come to the party. At first she had tried to demur, saying she was too new and she didn't want to be there for what was obviously a family thing. But Frank surprised himself( and flabbergasted Joe) by convincing her to come. "My Parents will welcome you with open arms, to them, the more the merrier!" he had said. "Besides, if you _really_ want to know the truth about my wayward sibling, you need to talk to our mother. And Con Reilley. And Ezra Collig.. And.." he was stopped when Joe flung a crumpled wad of paper at him from across the office.

"Dude, I don't want her _scared away!_" Joe had grumped.

Halloran had laughed and acquiesced at that point and asked what she could bring to the potluck. Joe had immediately proclaimed that she was under orders to bring Key Lime pie. He had said it was a sure fire way to make his father fall in love with her, especially if it was as good as her chocolate cream pie. She merely smiled serenely. Joe's grin got even wider. (_funny how my little brother never mentioned that Key Lime was __his__ favorite too_)

After fielding a frantic call from his mother regarding the complete and utter lack of ice, Frank quickly finished getting ready and was soon on his way to the outskirts of town where his childhood home lay. As he pulled up he noticed that no one else had arrived yet, so he left the three bags of ice he had bought on his way over in the cooler being stored in the garage. He made his way through the suspiciously empty and immaculate kitchen and went out the back door where he found his father.

"Hey Dad, what's up?" he asked cheerfully.

"Just cleaning the grill for my surprise party later this afternoon." Fenton replied nonchalantly.

"What surprise party?" Frank returned all innocent like.

"Frank, son, I love you dearly, but you cannot carry off the clueless thing nearly as well as your brother. The surprise party your mother has been planning for the last month in cahoots with not only my offspring, but my best friends as well." Fenton grinned back.

"Oh. That surprise party." Frank smiled ruefully. "How'd you figure it out?"

Fenton just looked at him. "Son, I have been a police officer and a private investigator for 30 years. I think I may have picked up a few skills along the way." Frank blushed at the comment. "However, in the interest of marital harmony, if you think I am for one second going to let on I know, well, Son, you aren't married so just trust me when I say it is far better to feign ignorance in some things."

"You know she will suspect something if she sees you out here scrubbing away at the grill, Dad."

"Hmm. True. So why don't you be the dutiful eldest child and finish up. That way you can save your mother the anguish." Frank knew he was well and truly trapped and with a laugh he took over.

"Now I really know where Joe gets it from." he groused good naturedly. "Speaking of Mom, where is she anyway?"

"She told a lovely story about having to run over to the Youth Center to help sort through some donations. I almost bought it." Fenton smiled indulgently. Even after nearly 30 years he was still madly in love with his petite blond wife. "She went to pick up all the stuff she has had stashed at the Radley's for the past week and a half."

They were interrupted by the sound of a car pulling into the driveway. "That's your mother, and my hint to go 'take a nap'" Fenton used air quotes as he stood and started toward the back door. "I'll be in my office studiously ignoring any strange sounds coming from the rest of the house." He grinned as he passed his son. "To be perfectly honest, I can't wait. Ever since I mostly retired I have been woefully lacking in stimulation. This is gonna be great!" and with that, Fenton disappeared out of the kitchen just in time to miss his frazzled wife.

"Oh, Frank, I am so glad you are here! I have a ton of things in the car and I am so afraid your father will see" Laura Hardy exclaimed.

"No need to worry, Mom. Dad's in his office lying down." There was no way Frank was going to burst his mother's bubble. He spent the next half hour helping her transfer all the fixin's for a great big spread from the car to the kitchen before leaving her to do the prep work . "I noticed the grill could use a good scrub down, Mom; I'll take care of that while you finish up in here. Send Joe out when he gets here." he never mentioned Joe's guest, knowing that Joe wanted to introduce Halloran himself.

It was maybe twenty minutes later before the familiar rumble of Joe's Mustang came roaring up the street. Frank considered going inside, but then opted to stay put, figuring Joe would want to introduce his new girlfriend without an audience. He spent the next ten minutes dumping new coals into the mostly clean grill and lighting them off with a generous squirt of lighter fluid. Soon after Joe can ambling out with two beers on his hands.

""Sup, Big Brother?" Joe exclaimed cheerfully. "Looks good. So does this mean you have volunteered to cook?"

"Nope. Did get voluntold to clean though. So you get to cook. Keeps you out of trouble.. mostly. " Frank accepted the proffered bottle and took a heavy swig. "How did it go?" he asked, indicating with a tilt of his head the kitchen.

"She fell in love of course. As if anyone I bring home isn't perfect in every way." Joe grinned mischievously. "She's helping Mom with last minute stuff. Everyone should be arriving soon, yeah? Where's the Birthday Boy?"

"Hiding in his office pretending to be completely oblivious. Don't tell Mom. He doesn't want to disappoint her."

"Actually, only a little surprised he figured it out. We never could keep secrets from him when we were little." Joe reminisced. "Just hoped he had slowed down in his old age."

"Never happen" Frank asserted.

Joe chuckled. "Yer right. Think I'll go introduce him to my future wife."

Frank nearly choked on the beer he had just swallowed. "Your _what_?"

Joe's smile faded and he looked at his brother intently. "I mean it. I haven't felt this way about someone since Iola. Don't get me wrong, I loved Vanessa too, just not the same way. She saved me from myself, and I will forever be grateful to her for that, but we were never going to be permanent. I think we each knew that at the end. But with Hal, I dunno, it's all just so.._right. _She relaxes me. I am not bouncing off the walls 24/7 any more."

"Joe, you have known her _four days_!" Frank gasped incredulously. "Not even you are that impetuous."

Joe just shook his head seriously. "I can't explain it, Frank. But she isn't too sure of me yet and so I am trying to go slow. Don't look at me like that!" he cried as Frank dropped his jaw in amazement. "I am capable of self control. I just normally choose not to exercise that option." Joe reached up with his free hand and gripped his elder brother's shoulder. "She's the one. I just need to wait until she realizes that I am the one. I can do that. I _will_ do that. But be prepared to field 2 am phone calls when I get a little squirrely." Joe dropped his hand, whirled and walked back into the house.

He found Laura and Halloran chatting amiably over a bowl of lettuce. Laura was shredding carrots directly into the bowl and Hal was dicing celery on the cutting board before sweeping them in with the knife. With a peck on his mother's cheek as he walked by, he gently grasped Halloran's arm. "I want you to meet my father." Laura protested, saying she didn't want him finding out just yet.

"Not until everyone starts arriving!"

"Mom, I got it covered. I am just introducing my new girlfriend. Even if he was asleep he heard the car and will be wondering why I haven't popped in to say hey. This way we can distract him when people start arriving and congregating in the back yard. Text me when it's time to drag him outside."

Meeting Fenton Hardy was not nearly as nerve wracking as Halloran had envisioned. For one he was not quite as larger than life as she had pictured him in her mind's eye. She was only peripherally aware of his reputation and celebrity status as she was not from either Bayport or New York City and had only recently moved here to care for an elderly grandfather. After her adventures at the Bayport Community Bank, though, she did a little Googling and found many archived articled about all three of the Hardy men. What she had learned both alarmed and impressed her. And she cried when she had read the article about Iola Morton's murder. More and more she found herself drawn to this happy go lucky blond. Having had so much tragedy and pain in his life, she was amazed he still so carefree. She herself was no stranger to tragedy, but not nearly so sanguine about it.

Fenton was charming and gracious and quickly put her at ease, asking her simply if she liked Bayport, despite her initial introduction to the town.

"It's growing on me" she smiled, glancing covertly over at Joe who was standing over by the window trying to get a glimpse of the street and any approaching cars. Fenton saw the shift of eyes and smiled indulgently.

"Joesph, come away from the window. If I wasn't already perfectly aware of your plotting and scheming, I'd know something was up by all your fidgeting."

"I do not fidget. I expend excess energy." Joe retorted. Halloran responded by giggling behind her hand. Fenton winked at her as he stood up and came around his desk to stand by his son. Joe was barely an inch shorter. "And I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about."

"Uh huh. Sure. You are good. Better than your brother, but not as good as I am. You only _think_ you got away with as much as you did growing up. You may have convinced your Aunt that the vase in the living room just jumped off the table and committed suicide, but I know perfectly well you snagged the edge of the runner on your football helmet as you ran by."

Joe's jaw dropped as he turned a shocked face to his father. "Wha? How?" he sputtered, completely at a loss for words.

"There were threads entangled on the strap of your helmet." Fenton smiled serenely. "Your mother found them and put two and two together."

This was too much for Halloran, who was immensely enjoying Joe's ever deepening blush. She burst out laughing, loud and infectious, and soon all three were chortling merrily away. Joe was laughing so hard he almost missed the vibration of his cellphone signaling the text message that all was ready.

The party of course was a huge success. Fenton Hardy was well known and regarded in the community both professionally and personally. Joe handled the grill like a pro all afternoon, expertly juggling burgers, dogs and chicken legs so that there was always a full platter to choose from . Fenton took one bite of the Key Lime Pie and promptly confiscated the entire thing . Not even Joe got a bite. When he had protested, Fenton just grinned and said "She can make you one later." Halloran had sidled up next to him and whispered into his ear. Joe blushed some more but let his father have the entire pie.

It was hours later, and all the guests had departed after proclaiming it to be a great day all around. Fenton and his sons were relaxing on the deck, watching the stars come out. Halloran and Laura had gone inside to put what few leftovers there were away, and, Joe suspected, Halloran was going to be asking some rather personal(and embarrassing) questions about his misspent youth. But he could tell that both his parents liked her, so he was willing to let it slide for now.

The menfolk discussed mundane things amongst themselves. Sports, local politics, the latest on the attempted bank robbery. "I cannot believe he actually thought he could get away with that" Joe mused, shaking his head. "I mean, times are tough and the banks may have some blame, but to rob a bank because your house gets foreclosed is just asinine!"

Frank agreed, but Fenton admonished them somewhat. "You boys don't know what it's like to be truly unable to provide for your family. Sure some people bring it upon themselves with poor choices, but others, like the man behind the bank robbery, are just honest hard working folks who end up desperate through no fault of their own. And desperate people go to extremes."

"Maybe, but one thing is for certain." Joe declared. "All my banking from now on is online!"

"Not so fast, little brother!" Frank chided.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that in all the excitement the other day you never did get the papers out of the client's safety deposit box and we have to present the evidence tomorrow afternoon to the president of the company. I expect you to be at the bank when it opens. Mr. Trumbel will be expecting you."

Fenton's laughter at Joe's groan was so loud that the ladies came rushing out from the kitchen to see what was so funny. "You have to save me from a fate worse than death!" Joe proclaimed piteously as he snagged Hal around the waist and pulled her into his lap.

"Nope. I got what was in my safety deposit box. You are on your own mister. Laura has invited me for coffee and some shopping tomorrow. Maybe you should ask Danny?" Hal's eyes sparkled wickedly.

"I cannot believe everyone is ganging up on me. My family, I can understand. But, _et tu, Brute_? I am your knight in shining armor!" Joe looked reproachfully at his date. She giggled and smootched the top of his nose.

"Your mother has been _very_ forthcoming, dear. I am learning _all_ sorts of fascinating things about one Joseph Aaron Hardy. But we have only just scratched the surface. I need more date before I can make a final decision."

Joseph Aaron Hardy blanched at that and got a very scared look on his face. It was enough to send everyone else into a fit of hysterical laughter once again as the sun sunk beneath the horizon.

**Finis**

**A/n:** _so, I hope y'all enjoyed this summer light reading. I have two more lined up, just haven't decided which one will be concentrated on first. But it will be several weeks most likely. lots of weekend travel coming up.. between DH swearing in the nephew into the Marines next month and a few get aways planned to visit other family I won't have quite as much free time to devote as I have had. I hope you won't forget me!_

_Many Thanks to all my regular readers and reviewers for keeping me motivated with all the constructive criticism! It's appreciated!_

_Caranath_


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